[NFBNJ] Week of February 22, 2023 President Riccobono's Notebook, National Items of Interest and Dates to Keep in Mind

Thu Feb 23 01:02:47 UTC 2023

President’s Notebook
National Federation of the Blind
Mark A. Riccobono
officeofthepresident at nfb.org
410-659-9314

Dear Federation Family,

Although baseball season is nearly upon us, much of the nation is still
facing wintry weather. It is hard to know whether to put on boots or
running shoes some days, but there is one constant: every day we need to
pick up the tools of progress forged by the National Federation of the
Blind. As leaders of our movement, you have made the commitment to do that
every day, and it is appreciated. What makes it work is our coordination
with each other.

Since spring training is underway for Major League Baseball, it is on my
mind. You may not know that one of the game’s legends, Babe Ruth, has roots
right here in Baltimore. Babe is credited as saying, “The way a team plays
as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of
individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club
won't be worth a dime.”

This applies equally to the National Federation of the Blind. It applies in
our affiliates but also to the national organization and how our affiliates
work together. We are all on the same team, and it takes a tremendous
amount of coordination and trust to make our movement work.

Critical Actions:

March Presidential Release Next Week:

Mark your calendars for the upcoming Presidential Release #525: Wednesday,
March 1, at 8:00 p.m., eastern. Closed captions and Spanish interpretations
are available.

https://zoom.us/j/97552045970

Webinar ID: 975 5204 5970

National Convention Registration Opens March 1:

The 2023 NFB National Convention will be a truly exciting and memorable
event, with an unparalleled program and rededication to the goals and work
of our movement. A wide range of seminars for parents of blind children,
technology enthusiasts, job seekers, and other groups will kick the week
off on Saturday, July 1, in Houston, Texas. Reminder: #NFB23 Registration
will open on March 1. Read the latest convention bulletin
<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm23/bm2302/bm230201.htm> or
visit nfb.org/convention for more information.

News:

Victory in Orozco v. Garland Appeal!:

On Tuesday, October 18, a panel of three federal appellate judges heard
oral arguments in the National Federation of the Blind-supported case,
Orozco v. Garland, a case that stemmed from an inaccessible workplace for a
blind federal employee. The opinion from the Federal Circuit Court released
last week stated, “Orozco, an intelligence analyst at the FBI, wants his
employer to use available software that is accessible to blind employees
like himself. Both parties agree that Section 794d of the Rehabilitation
Act generally requires federal agencies, including the FBI, to use
technology that is accessible to employees with disabilities. But the
district court dismissed Orozco’s action on the ground that the
Rehabilitation Act does not give him any right to bring a lawsuit against
the FBI to enforce that obligation. We reverse. The plain text of Section
794d extends a private right of action to all persons with disabilities who
file administrative complaints requesting accessible technology and who
seek only injunctive and declaratory relief.”

Read and Share the Braille Monitor:

Access the latest issue of our flagship publication. Read about the
experience of learning about independence, seeking employment
opportunities, stories from members, and more. February Braille Monitor
(English)
<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm23/bm2302/bm2302tc.htm>
February Braille Monitor (Spanish)
<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm23/bm2302/es/bm2302tc-es.htm>

Latest Blog Post: “Accessible Payments and Banking with Cash App”:

Learn about the features, services, and accessibility of Cash App from Karl
Belanger, nonvisual access specialist, in our latest Voice of the Nation’s
Blind blog post, “Accessible Payments and Banking with Cash App
<https://nfb.org/blog/accessible-payments-and-banking-cash-app>.”

Legislative Advocacy after Washington Seminar:

Now that we’ve all been home from the 2023 Washington Seminar for a couple
of weeks, this is a perfect time to remind everyone that our legislative
advocacy is not limited to one week at the beginning of the year. We
encourage you to meet with your members of Congress at their district
offices throughout the year, or even via Zoom if necessary. This is
especially important if your member was unable to schedule a time to meet
with you during Washington Seminar. It is critical that we build strong
relationships with all members of Congress so they recognize our
organization and understand our legislative priorities.

Upcoming Event: iOS vs Android Low-vision Accessibility Face-off:

On Tuesday, February 28, the Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Access will
present an Accessibility Boutique to discuss low-vision accessibility
features of iOS and Android. Come see how the features stack up against
each other! Register for the Low-vision Face-off Accessibility Boutique
<https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=28168&qid=8111077>.

Reminders:

Scholarship Program Deadline Approaching in March:

The National Federation of the Blind scholarship program helps blind
college students reach their educational and employment goals and so much
more. Building on its strong foundation, we have enhanced the awards
granted—making the experience even more inclusive, engaging, and meaningful
for the thirty finalists. Each scholarship winner will receive $8,000.
Encourage students to apply for the 2023 scholarship program
<https://scholarships.nfb.org/>.

Lyft Up and Share:

Please share the following blurb with members via emails and social media
to help encourage people to participate. You can copy and paste the
following:

An exciting and easy giving option for everyone: the organized blind
movement is part of the Lyft Up program, so you can contribute every time
you ride with Lyft. The program will round up the cost of your ride to the
nearest dollar and donate the difference. In the Lyft app, simply go to the
menu, navigate to donate, and choose National Federation of the Blind.
Share this with all of your friends and family, because all of our small
changes lead to making a big difference. Thank you for your support!

Dates to Keep in Mind: (all times eastern)

   - March 23: Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium
   - May 10: Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement, 8:00 p.m.
   - July 1-6, 2023: National Convention; Houston, Texas
   - August 9: Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement, 8:00 p.m.
   - November 8: Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement, 8:00 p.m.

Warmly,
Linda Melendez, President
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
908-590-1747
president at nfbnj.org
*www.nfbnj.org* <http://www.nfbnj.org/>
*Facebook: **https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238*
<https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238>

To schedule a 30-minute meeting about the National Federation of the Blind
of New Jersey please click on the link below
https://calendly.com/nfbnj/30min
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